Tens of thousands of Kiwi workers sacked
Government research conducted by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) shows more than 20,000 Kiwi workers have been sacked while on trial periods – a 49 per cent increase in three years.
"This research shows us that people who are employed on trial periods are being increasingly treated as disposable,” CTU President, Richard Wagstaff said. “Working people need fairer laws to protect them from this type of employment practice. The Government needs to act to ensure that working Kiwis are being treated fairly and removing trial periods from the law would ensure that employers were not able to treat working people as being a disposable resource." The MBIE research showed 80,070 employers used trial periods during the year, but Wagstaff suspected many more Kiwi workers were on trial. The research showed that 20,300 employers dismissed an employee during or at the end of the trial period: “But once again we suspect many more Kiwi workers have been sacked by their employers,” Wagstaff said. The figures are up from 2014 and 15 when the figures were 57,600 and 13,600 respectively. "Trial periods are unfair and unnecessarily. We need to make our employment laws fairer for all Kiwis - removing trial periods from law is urgently needed," Wagstaff said.
After May 6, only businesses with fewer than 20 employees will be able to use the 90-day trial period.
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Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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35.5% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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64.5% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Poll: Is Auckland’s economy improving?
The latest reporting from The Post suggests a wave of optimism for 2026. With interest rates finally heading south, businesses are feeling more positive. But for many on the ground, the real-world recovery feels a bit like a slow-moving commute on Auckland's motorways.
We want to know: Are you seeing signs of Auckland's economy improving in your industry or neighbourhood? Whether it's busier shops, new projects kicking off, or just a shift in the mood ...
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17.2% Yes
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65.6% No
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17.2% A little
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